Machine for making long playing sound records



Aug. 10, 194 3- H. P. CLAUSEN 2,325,332

MACHINE FOR MAKING LONG PLAYING SOUND RECORDS Filed Dec.

, INVENTOR. Henry I? O/ausen Aug. 10, m4& H. P. cLAusEN MACHINE FOR MAKING LONG PLAYING SOUND RECORDS Filed Dec. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. flan/y P. C/ausan Patented Aug. 10, 1943 P rase OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING LONG PLAYING SOUND RECORDS -Henry P. Clausen, White Plains, N. Y., assignor to The Gray Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 21, 1940, Serial No- 371,070

6 Claims.

This invention is for a machine for-recording sounds with particular emphasis on a machine adapted for recording dictation.

An object of this invention is to provide amachine for recording dictation on an elongated record web in such manner that large quantities of dictation may be recorded on a relatively small sound record, preferably in the form of a band, ribbon, tape or web.

A general object of this invention is the provision of mechanism for driving a thin ribbon of suitable material such as cellulose acetate at a predetermined rate of speed in the direction of its length, and moving a sound recording device in. contact with the ribbon in an arcuate path substantially transversely of the. direction of movement of the ribbon.

The general combination of this invention is a motor driven mechanism providing means for cluded in the combination-is means for prede-' termining the planes of travel of the ribbon at different portions thereof, so that only one sound recording device may engage the ribbon at any one time. There is also included means for completing the circuits to the recording devices successively so that just as one recording device leaves the ribbon at one side the circuit thereto is interrupted and the circuit to the succeeding recording device which is just engaging the ribbon on its opposite sideis completed. The drive devices for the ribbon and the recorder support are independently controllable so that the rate of longitudinal movement of the ribbon, and hence the spacing between succeeding sound grooves or paths may be varied as desired and the time consumed in sweeping each recording device across the ribbon may be varied to change the'rate of recording.

Many additional detailed objects will be apparent from the following de. cription when taken in connection with the attached drawings.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement, relative location of parts, and the sound recording produced thereby, all as will be fully described hereinafter.

1n the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one physical em there is provided a suitably formed base I of' the proper size and construction to adapt it for its intended use. Intermediate the ends of the nected by a conductor l5 to the corresponding base there are secured at opposite sides a pair of standards 2 and 3 which serve to support a U-shaped member or yoke 4', one leg of which is pivotally mounted as indicated at 5 on'the standard 2. The other end engages'the top of standard 3 and is releasably secured theretoby means of a screwand thumb'nut 6. By loosening the thumb nut 6 the yoke 4 may be swung upwardly about the hinge 5, moving the parts connected thereto to one side during the threading of the tape end of the machine.

Joumaled on the yoke 4 is a vertical shaft 8, to which is secured a four-armed spider 9 adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane. Secured to the outer end of each of the arms of the spider is a sound recording device l0 having a recording stylus ill. Such sound recording devices are well known in many forms, as for example the electro-magnetic, the electro-static, the piezoelectric crystal, and other types. Mountedvon the horizontal portion of the yoke dis a motive device II illustrated as an electric motor whose shaft I2 extends into a gear housing l3, also supported on the horizontalportion oi the yoke 4. Within the gear housing I3 is a suitable gear train, not shown, connecting the shaft H with, the shaft 8 so that when motor H is energized the spider 9 will be caused to rotate, preferably in a counter-clockwise direction (see Figure 1) about the vertical axis of shaft 8.

Also mounted on the shaft 8 is a commutator N having four segments, one for each sound recording device l0. One terminal of each sound recording device is grounded to the metal spider, and the other terminal of each is consegment of the commutator Id. The circuit for this conductor is completed by a brush, not shown, engaging the commutator in accordance with obvious and well known practice in the electrical arts.

Secured to the vertical legs ofthe yoke 4 are a pair of brackets IS in which is journaled an idler and guide roller l1 whose function will be describedlater. A pair of bearing standards l8 are secured to the base I near one end for the purpose of rotatably supporting a record supply reel is. This supply reel may be mounted'in and removed from the standards l8 by engagingthe ends of its shaft in the bearing sockets inthe standards after swinging the latches 20 tovone side, as will be clear from a consideration of Figure 2.. These latches provide a simple mechanism for mounting and removing the supply reel l9. This reel has wound thereon a suitable 'quantity of sound recording tape or ribbon .W.

which as previously stated, is preferably but not necessarily, in the form of a thin body 'of transparent cellulose acetate. The width of thislbody may be varied, but'a suitable width is of the order of e1ven= innfs The ribbon w extendsfrom the reel I9 under the idler roller l1, and-from there across a horizontal table, anvil or platen 2| supported.. ,at the .proper elevation by a longitudinally-jjcunved-web and supporting base 22. Pivotally mounted at the side edges of the table 2| are the deflecting guides 23 which engage the edges of the web W so as to depress them by reason of the presence of the springs 24 which are mounted so as to close the movable parts of the guides 23 downwardly onto the side edges of the web. The web is provided with sprocket perforations extending along its side edges for a purpose to be described, and it is these narrow margins of the tape which are depressed by the deflecting guides 23. The top surface of the table is provided with a shallow arcuate groove 25 having a radius equal to the distance between the center of shaft 8 and the working point of the styli l9.

' Mounted at the other end of the support l are a pair of vertical bearing standards 26 in which a drive sprocket 21 is journaled having sprocket teeth 21 for engaging the sprocket perforations in the web W, so as to withdraw it from the supply reel |9 under suflicient tension tomaintain the web flat and taut. The clips 20 may engage the end of the supporting shaft on the supply reel |9 with suflicient pressure to resist the rotation of the, reel |9 to the extent .to produce this desired result. Various other forms of tension devices-well known .in the art can be employed. Rotatably supported in the brackets 26 3 is a pick-up reel 29 similar to the supply reel I9 and detachably mounted for rotation in the standards by means of the swinging clips 28 similar to the clips previously described. Mounted on the shaft of sprocket 21, for rotation therewith, is a worm wheel 30 meshing with a worm 3| mounted on the end of the shaft 32. This shaft is journaled at its upper end on an extension in one of the brackets 26, and at its lower end in a bearing 35mounted within the base I which is hollow, as shown. The lower end of shaft 32 is provided with a worm wheel 33' meshing with a worm 34 mounted on the shaft of a drive motor 35 shown as an electric motor supported within the base I. The shaft of the motor 35 is also provided with a belt pulley 31 which is connected by a belt 38 to another belt pulley 39 mounted on the same shaft with a driven friction roller 40 which projects upwardly through an opening in the base and engages the flanges on the sprocket 21 as clearly shown in Figure 2.

At 4| is shown a suitable plug receptacle for supplying electric current for operating the motors, and at 42 is a common switch for starting and stopping these motors. The circuits for the motors arenot shown as being obvious, although it is to be noted that there are included in the independent branches to the motors H and 35 variable resistances for independently varying the speeds of the two motors. It will be equally apparent that other forms of variable speed drive may be employed for the intended purpose.'

The operation of the apparatus will be briefly reviewed, although already indicated. The yoke 4 is swung .upwardly so as to raisethe parts.

mounted thereon away from the plane of movement of the ribbon W. A filled supply reel I9 is mounted on the standards l8 and the end is stretched across the table 2| around the sprocket 21, so that its teeth engage in its perforations, and theend is attached to the take-up reel 29.

The deflecting guides 23 which have been swung back out of the way are 'closed into operative position so that they engage and overlie the edges of the ribbon, as shown, so as to depress them 5 adjacent the ends of the table 2| as indicated in the drawings. The yoke 4 is swung back to position and locked by the clamp 6. The machine is now ready for operation which is initiated by closing switch 42. This energizes both motors ii and 35. The operation of motor 35 causes the web W to move slowly from left to right that is from the supply reel l9 to the take-up reel 29. The take up reel 29 is caused to revolve slowly by means of the friction drive roller 40 and the 5 sprocket 21 is rotated through the gear trains .connected by the shaft 32. The friction drive roller 49 may slip with respect to the supply reel 29, so that although this supply reel is caused to revolve slowly in a counter-clockwise direction 20 there will be no tendency to damage the web while insuring that it will be wound up under proper tension. The rotation of motor M will cause rotation of the spider 9 so that the sound recording devices |0 successively sweep across the ribbon W from side to side so that the styli thereof respectively traverse the table in an arcuate path defined by the shallow groove 25. The parts are so proportioned that as the stylus of one sound recording device I9 leaves the ribbon on one edge the other will engage it at the opposite edge. During the traversing movement of one styli across the ribbon the ribbon will be moving slowly=tothe left, with the result that when the following stylus engages the ribbon at; the opposite side its point of engagement will be spaced distance the ribbon has moved during one traverse thereof by a' recording head. Since in the mechanism illustrated the ribbon W will be moving continuously, although at a slow rate, it will be seen. that each record track will be composed of a turn of a spiral. The time relation of movement between the web and the spider is preferably such that the average spacing between rec- 0rd tracks will be about one one-hundredth ,of an inch. This spacing may be varied by increasing or decreasing the speed of rotation of motor 35 with respect to that of motor The rate of traverse of the respective sound recording heads ||l across the ribbon W may likewise be variedby changing the speed of rotation of motor II.

In order to prevent interference between the sprocket perforations and the recording styli the deflecting plates 23 are provided. In order to prevent undesired sounds occurring as one re-' cording head leaves the record and the other engages it, and to prevent interruption in th continuity of sound recording, the parts are so proportioned and the guides are so arranged that just as one stylus leaves one side of the record the trailing side engages the other side.

It will be noted that the idler roller 11 depresses the ribbon W at-its point of engagement therewith so that the portion to the right of the roller l1 (Figure 2) is moving in a plane below the top of table 2|, with the result that the styli of the inactive recording heads do not engage the web, as is clearly apparent from Figure 2. By this simple arrangement only the stylus of the active recording head may engage the web.

It is of course apparent to those skilled in the art that the ribbon W may be driven in other ways so as not to require sprocket perforations,

and that any number of equivalent means may 'fromthe remaining end of the preceding record track by an amount approximately equal to the .be employed for depressing the edges of the ribbon so that even in the case where the sprocket perforations are not employed the styli of the recordingheads will not engage the edges of the ribbon at the time of engagement and disengagement therewith.

From the above description it will be seen that this machine provides a, record tablet upon which large quantities of dictation or other sound records may be recorded in a compact record which may be easily transported, handled and stored. The device produces a long playing record of novel form which is adapted to many uses, as for example radio broadcasting monitoring. It is practical for this purpose because. an entire days broadcasting may, for example, be recorded in a relatively small record. By way of example, by recording one hundred grooves to the linear inch, each ten inches long, it is possible to record a record which will require about thirty-five hours to reproduce in a one hundred foot length of tape or ribbon. This givesnan idea of the utility of this device in the field of long playing records, of which, as mentioned one practical use is that for making and preserving records of commercial broadcasts, as well as for recording extensive pieces of dictation.

From the above description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the single embodiment of this invention illustrated in the drawings is but one possible embodiment thereof. Many changes in the details of construction may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the novel subject matter thereof. I do not, therefoiedesire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for purposes of illustration, but rather to the scope of the claims granted me.

What is claimed is:

1.-In a sound recording machine as described the combination including a reel having an elongated ribbon record thereon, means for withdrawing said ribbon from said reel, means sup porting a portion of said ribbon in a plane after withdrawal from said reel, means supporting and moving a plurality of sound recording devices across said ribbon from side to side so as to engage it at the region of said support, and deflecting means engaging said ribbon for depressing the side edges of said ribbon at the points of engagement and disengagement of the recording devices with said ribbon.

2. Ina sound recording machine as described rection of its length so that the portion therebetween is in a plane, said feeding means including sprocket perforations in the ribbon and sprocket teeth engaging therewith, means supporting and moving a plurality of sound recording devices in succession across said ribbon from side to side, means supporting the ribbon opposite the path of movementof said recording devices, and guiding means engaging the side edges of said ribbon for depressing the side edges containing the sprocket perforations so that the recording devices engage and disengage the ribbon at points inside the edges thereof.

4. In a machine of the type described the combination including spaced means for supporting and feeding a ribbon record in the di-- rection of its length so that the portion therebetween is in a plane, said feeding means including sprocket perforations in the ribbon and sprocket teeth engaging therewith, a rotatable support above said ribbon, sound recording devices on said support arranged to move-in succession across said ribbon from side to side, means supporting the ribbon oppositethe path of movement of said recording devices, means engaging theside edges of said ribbon for depressing the side edges containing the sprocket perforations so that the recording devices engage and disengage the ribbon at points inside the edges thereof, and means engaging one face of the ribbon for holding a portion of the ribi bon below said plane so that only the inactive rethe combination including a reel having an elongated ribbon record thereon, means for withdrawing said ribbon from said reel, means for supporting a portion of said ribbon in a plane after withdrawal from said reel, means supporting and moving a plurality of sound recording devices across said ribbon from side to side so as to. engage it at the region of said support, means engaging the side edges of said ribbon to depress them at the points of engagement and disengagement of the recording devices with said ribbon, and means for adjusting the rate of movement of the ribbon and sound recording devices so as to move them in a desired timed relation.

3. In a machine of the type described the combination including spaced means for supporting and feeding a ribbon recordln the dicording devices do not engage the depressed portion of the ribbon as said support revolves.

5. In a machine of the type described the combination including a record ribbon feed and takeup mechanism spaced to expose the portion of the ribbon therebetween in a flat plane, a table across which the exposed portion of the ribbon moves, a spider supported for rotation on a vertical axis having a plurality of arms, a sound recording device mounted on each of said arms so as-to successively engage the ribbon above said table, independently adjustable means for moving the ribbon feed and spider so as to cause the recording devices to successively traverse the ribbon from side to side to form successive record tracks moves, a spider supported for rotation on a vertical axis having a plurality of arms, a sound recording device mounted on each of said arms so as to successively engage the ribbon above said table, independently adjustable means for moving the ribbon feed and spider so as to cause the recording devices to successively traverse the ribbon from Side to side 'to'form successive record tracks in the ribbon, and deflecting means engag- -ing and depressing the edges ofthe ribbon opposite the sides of the table so that the recording devices engage and disengage the ribbon at points inside the borders thereof.

HENRY P. CLAUSEN. 

